Archive for April 21, 2004

To use an American cliche, you can take Colin Powell’s word to the Bank. “Powell told reporters that leaders of 13 coalition countries with whom he spoke by telephone Monday and Tuesday “all expressed steadfast support” for their respective troop commitments.” A few hours later, the Dominican Republic announced that it will pull out its [...]

Posted on April 21, 2004 by As'ad

America’s Prisoners, American Rights, by David Cole. Since Sep. 11, this man has done more to protect the constitutional rights of Americans than anybody else, in my opinion.

Posted on April 21, 2004 by As'ad

“While the administration’s policies toward Iraq and Israel generate the most headlines, its hostile approach to the independent Arab media might be the clearest window into its contempt for the Arab public. Satellite television stations such as Al Jazeera have been the most powerful and potent voices demanding democratic reform in the Middle East since [...]

Posted on April 21, 2004 by As'ad

The new Iraq? Saddam’s former Ba`thists tapped for leadership roles.

Posted on April 21, 2004 by As'ad

Full text: the new report by Council on Foreign Relations on female eduction. More than 100 million children in developing nations between the ages of 6 and 11 — 60% of them girls — are not in school. (Please: do not launch one of your wars of “liberation” to free them, ok?)

Posted on April 21, 2004 by As'ad

For some reason, the number of visitors to the site has been substantially increasing as of late. I also feel that I need to explain this to non-US visitors: I have been sharing my hate mail with readers of the site. But it is only fair to say that I get far more messages of [...]

Posted on April 21, 2004 by As'ad

Iraqi Journalist slain with his driver by US troops had supported occupation. Reaction to his death shows moderates losing faith in Americans.

Posted on April 21, 2004 by As'ad

I am not making this one up. Bush says world owes Sharon a ‘thank you’ for his long record of killing and terrorizing Palestinians.

Posted on April 21, 2004 by As'ad

War criminals of the world unite! Your time has come.

Posted on April 21, 2004 by As'ad

CBS News (and other US news outlets) do not care to show us images of dead Iraqis. But when it comes to the famous dead Princess, it is a different matter.

Posted on April 21, 2004 by As'ad

I will be on Flashpoints this afternoon at 5:00PM (Pacific Time). You can listen live or taped.

Posted on April 21, 2004 by As'ad

I was wrong: Democracy has been brought into Iraq: Last week, Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, spokesperson of the CPA, told Iraqis to “change the channel to a legitimate, authoritative, honest news station” rather than watch Arab media. Iraqis complied, and asked Kimmit what vegetables he recommends that they should eat.

Posted on April 21, 2004 by As'ad

For those who care: transcript of my Democracy Now interview this morning. I was awakened at 4:30AM.

Posted on April 21, 2004 by As'ad

The former Iraqi (US appointed) minister of interior, Nuri Badran, gave an interview to the Iraqi daily, Az-Zaman (run by a former Saddam propagandist, turned US occupation propagandist), in which he was quite critical of the occupation, and of the manners in which civilians in Iraq were made to suffer. I turned to Saudi TV [...]

Posted on April 21, 2004 by As'ad

Bush mobilizes women

Posted on April 21, 2004 by As'ad

Kook news: The French justice minister yesterday ordered the expulsion of an Algerian-born Lyon kooky imam who declared he was in favour of women being stoned, wives being beaten and France becoming an Islamist republic.

Posted on April 21, 2004 by As'ad

That upsetting of the Shiite hierarchy, accomplished through the barrel of a gun, has potentially grim consequences for the American ability to control Iraq, particularly if Mr. Sadr remains at large after the standoff. But even if he is somehow silenced, he has shown that in this volatile atmosphere, the voice of Shiite radicalism can [...]

Posted on April 21, 2004 by As'ad

I will be speaking on Democracy Now this morning. You can listen live.

Posted on April 21, 2004 by As'ad